Why are Korean engineering prodigies flocking to Chinese universities?

“Kim Seung-hyun, 17, still remembers the moment he decided to become a robotics engineer. It was while watching a demonstration video of a “wearable robot” developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). In the video, a researcher paralyzed from the waist down slowly stood up from his wheelchair and walked with the help of the robot, which enhanced the wearer’s muscle strength. His eyes fixed on the screen, Kim watched the video over and over again. At that moment, he decided to become a robotics engineer. His childhood as an ardent fan of “Gundam,” the Japanese animation franchise featuring giant robots, also helped. Last year, after sweeping science Olympiads, Kim became an intern at KAIST. He was deciding where to apply for college: KAIST, Seoul National University or perhaps an engineering school in the United States. Then his supervising professor, Lee Pil-seung, made a suggestion Kim had never imagined. “Seung-hyun, have you ever seriously considered engineering schools in China?” For Kim, it was a surreal moment. Did a KAIST professor, from

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